


Outfitting

by lilac_firecracker



Category: Code Geass
Genre: Attempt at humour, Crack-ish, Emperor outfit, Gen, Random - Freeform, fashionista lelouch, knight of zero outfit, lelouch doesn't want to wear the hat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:07:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25934869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilac_firecracker/pseuds/lilac_firecracker
Summary: In which, despite what everyone believes, Lelouch (as much he wanted to) wasn't the one to design their Emperor and Knight outfits.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38





	Outfitting

In which, despite what everyone believes, Lelouch (as much he wanted to) wasn't the one to design their Emperor and Knight outfits.

* * *

To be honest, planning a secret Coup de tat and taking of the throne, and actually successfully pulling it off hadn't really left Lelouch with much time to pay attention to the aesthetics. It left a bad taste in his mouth, after all – he managed to secure the initial Zero outfit even with Suzaku's impending execution looming over his head. But covertly taking the throne included much work than he had expected, even with his little advantage of getting whoever he wanted to obey him. As a result, he'd been forced to make his Emperor Debut dressed like a schoolboy. He would have very much liked to make a grander entrance that was much more aesthetically pleasing.

Though, the fact that it presented him and his Knight as a united front – and there is nothing like tweaking a few noses by casually flaunting that the most powerful people in the empire were high schoolers; one of them was a number to boot – soothed his damaged aesthetic sense slightly.

Only slightly.

He had many beautiful designs in mind, something subtle but with a powerful message, eye-catchingly memorable, and mostly fashionable.

Millions times better than what the Royal Dressmaker had presented to him.

Definitely.

He stared at it. C.C. stared at him.

"What's wrong? Not according to your taste?"

"It's not horrible, per say, but-" Lelouch picked up the headpiece. "-What's this meant to be?" He glanced at C.C.

"I think it's meant to be a headpiece, _Your Majesty_."

"So… it's a hat…?" Lelouch blinked. "I don't mind the rest of the outfit… but this-" he shook his head. "-no."

C.C. sighed. "God, you're so anal about everything. It's just clothes."

"Just clothes?!" Lelouch spluttered indignantly. It's never _just clothes_. It's the first impression you give the people, it creates a stage for you before you even speak or act. What you wear controls what people think of you, and Lelouch very much needed to control people's opinion of him right now.

He really shouldn't have expected much else from someone who wore gothic Lolita outfits in public.

"It's white, which matches the whole reformer thing I've got going on-"

"Does that mean you're going to dye it black when you reach the final phase of Zero Requiem?" C.C. interrupted him, genuinely curious.

Lelouch ignored her. "- And I approve of the red eye motifs throughout-"

"God knows why, it looks horrendous."

"You are the last person eligible to give fashion advice." Lelouch deadpanned.

C.C. grinned in return.

"And besides," Lelouch continued. "It symbolises my geass power."

That means geass will be connected to Lelouch, and share his soon-to-be hated reputation. Put a fear and hate of geass in people's mind. _Probably_. C.C. still hadn't managed to grasp the full subtle and psychological manipulation that lay at the core of Zero Requiem.

"But, this… hat…" He returned to staring at it as though it will make the piece morph or disappear by magic.

A knock at the door, then Suzaku's voice filtered in. "May I enter, Your Majesty?"

"You may," Lelouch waved distractedly, still glaring at the hat.

Suzaku entered. "Lloyd just confirmed the arrival of Lanc- You're still not dressed?!" His eye twitched.

"Just evaluating it; I'm not quite certain about it, so I might get it changed." Lelouch replied as he turned to face the Knight. "That's good to hear. Have him prepare it for combat as soon as possible. You'll have to suffice on a Vincent until then."

"…Right." Suzaku sighed. He'd forgotten how precise Lelouch can be when it came to clothes and fashion. Then he noticed Lelouch just staring at him. "Is something wrong, Your Majesty?"

Lelouch blinked. "… What are you wearing?"

"Hmm," Suzaku looked down at himself. "This is the set of clothes that were sent to me, for the Knight of Zero."

C.C. looked at him and cackled.

"What?" Suzaku asked, slightly self-conscious. He'd never paid much attention to clothes, fashion and design, and wore whatever was available. Sure the outfit had knee-high boots and it was rather inconvenient for combat movement – but he'd just shrugged in on anyhow.

"You're comfortable walking around like that?" Lelouch asked, his voice slightly strangled.

 _Like what?_ "Well, there was a cape with it, it's a bit cumbersome, and so I opted not to wear it."

Lelouch looked like he had come to a decision. "We are definitely rehauling the outfits."

"We don't really have the time for a fashion show, Your Majesty." Suzaku pointed out drily.

"Even so, there's no way you're walking around looking like that!"

 _Again, like what?_ It must have shown on his face as C.C. explained gleefully.

"Like you're Lelouch's personal strip pole dancer."

"C.C.!!" Lelouch exclaimed, face turning an interesting shade of red.

"What? It's true. Imagine all the rumours that will fly around about the relationship between the 99th Emperor and his Knight."

If it was even possible, Lelouch's face turned even redder.

Suzaku blinked, and looked at his reflection in the mirror Lelouch was standing by. He shrugged.

"It's fine."

Lelouch choked.

Even C.C. looked at him with wide eyes, before they narrowed down in amusement. "Is there some aspects of your relationship with Lelouch that I'm unaware of?"

Suzaku just looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean? I was talking about the cape, it'll cover me if it makes His Majesty uncomfortable."

Lelouch had recovered slightly by then. "It's not about me being uncomfortable. Rather, how do you even walk around in that?"

"It's like a flight suit. I'm used to it."

 _Ah, that made sense._ "Regardless, call the dressmaker, I want this hat taken out of the ensemble."

And what Lelouch wanted, Lelouch got. Especially now that he ruled an empire.

"I apologise, Your Majesty, but you cannot." The dressmaker replied resolutely, admirably not shrinking under the force of Lelouch's glare.

"Excuse me?" The Emperor asked coolly.

The dressmaker coughed delicately. "The Emperor must wear a ceremonial headpiece. In regards to Your Majesty's age, I thought this would be more appropriate."

"A ceremonial headpiece? The previous Emperor didn't wear anything like that." Lelouch mused.

The dressmaker once again coughed delicately. "He did, Your Majesty."

Lelouch blinked. He did? But there was nothing on his head-

Realization slowly dawned on him, and he looked at the dressmaker with horrified eyes.

"Your Majesty has the choice between this, and the powdered wig…"

Lelouch swallowed weakly. The mere image of a powdered wig on his head...

C.C. was cackling to the side. Even Suzaku, the ever obedient Knight, coughed delicately under his palm.

"… The hat it is then."


End file.
